Base-ball score-board.



G. S. COLEMAN.

BASE BALL soon; BOARD.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 25, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

3 BHEBTSBHEET 1.

alitozmq G. S. COLEMAN.

' BASE BALL SCORE BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25. 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fire/afar G. S. GOLEMAN. BASE BALL sconn BOARD. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 26, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913-,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNKTED TAT RATE FEM.

GEORGE S. COLEMAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUREBlA.

BASE-BALE SCORE-BOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Application filed November 25, 1912. Serial No. 738,401.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. COLEMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Base-Ball Score-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to base-ball scoreboards.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a base-ball score-board whereon the various figures representing the players of the two teams may be shown in action while going through various movements on the field and while executing various plays of the game, as for instance running after a batted ball and receiving and throwing the same, running to the various bases, the practising of a pitcher or catcher or both preliminary to being put into the game, the walking of a player from the bench, picking up a bat and assuming a position in the batters box, the actions of the coachers while coaching, and various other movements and plays such as usually occur on a base-ball field during a game.

A further object of my invention is to provide a base-ball score-board whereon a batted or thrown ball will be represented in motion.

A further object of my invention is to provide a base-ball score-board which shall be of extremely simple construction, economical to manufacture, and which is adapted to intensify the interest of the spectators during the reproduction of a game.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the description hereinafter when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combinations of parts as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings and pointed out specifically in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of the score-board. Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of portions of the front and rear boards and one of the light boxes. Fig. i is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a portion of a light box and a colored plate arranged in front of the ground glass plate. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views showin slots in the rear board and notches of different shapes. Fig. 8 is a sectional View of the rear board showing one of the openings for the insertion of a light box and a curtain to close said opening. Fig. 9 is a front view of a light-box. Fig. 10 is an elevation of a portion of the rear board, showing a player in different positions and a portion of one of the slots along which travels a light box used for indi'cating a ball.

My improved score-board is intended to graphically reproduce a base-ball game played at some place more or less remote from where the board is located, as in a distaut city, the various plays of thegame being received telegraphically and such pla s being then reproduced on the score-board y the operators provided for that purpose.

In carrying out my invention I provide a board 1 the outer face 2 of which is presented to the view of the spectators and u on which board a base-ball game is adapte to be reproduced. The board 1 may have any suitable dimensions, but sufficiently large to enable the various plays L0 be distinctly seen by the spectators located at a reater or less distance in front of the boar The board may be made of any suitable material but preferably a material which will be cheap and light in weight, as wood, pa er-board, etc., and it may be of any desire thickness but preferably not more than one-half an inch. Upon the outer face 2 of the board there is represented a base-ball diamond, field, grandstand, etc., so as to make the board resemble closely a regular base-ballgrounds, and the various representations being appropriately colored in practice.

Upon the board there are representations of the various players of the team in the field, as 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9, 10, and 11, the players, as 12, of the team at the bat, the coachers as 13, the umpires, as 14, etc., all being shown as occupying positionscorresponding closely to the positions assumed in a regular game.

For the purpose of intensifying the interestof the spectators and to make the various plays of the game resemble as closely as possible the actual plays as they occur in the game, I provide representations of the various players in positions assumed While making certain movements or executing plays, as for instance I show by a succession of representations a batter, as 15,

.[11 running after a batted ball and receivg; ing and throwing same, a pitcher in the actrunning from the home base to first base; also base runners, as 16, 17, 18 running between variousbases, the fielders, as 9, 10,

of deliveri 'a ball, a player, as 12 walking from thep ayersl bench toward the home base, picking up a bat and assuming a bat- .ting position, and also "walking from the parent in order to permit light from an illuminant in rear thereof to pass through same, and for attaining this result any sultable material, as glass, mica, or the like may be used. I preferably use mica on account of its lightness and cheapness, and I use sheets 30 thereof, one for each representation (only one sheet being shown) glued or otherwise secured to the outer face 2 of the board 1, the latter being cut out to. form the out lines ofthe players, and the sheets of mica being arra ed" immediately over the said cut-out ortions. The mica sheets could be arrange upon the rear face of the board 1, but I preferably arrange them upon the outer face thereof. Instead of cutting out the board 1 to form the outlines of the players, the mica sheetsmight be colored so as to leave transparent portions having the outlines of the players. In fact, I do not wish to be restricted to any specific construction whereby it is possible to obtain the effect of an outlined figure on the board.

If desired, the several bases of the diamond may be indicated by cutting out the board and arranging transparent or semitransparent material over the cut-out ortions, or said bases might be indicated by coloring.

As, practically, the entire board with the exception of the figures indicated thereon and the transparent or semi-transparent ma-' terial, hereinafter described, for showing the direction of a batted or thrown ball, is to be of .an opaque nature, it will be noted that only the said figures and the said transparent or semi-transparent'material will bev illuminated when an illuminant is passed along in rear thereof.

In order to obtain the best results in practice, I intend to separate the various figures to a somewhat greater extent than is shown on the drawings, so that only one figure at a time vwillbe illuminated, thus avoiding the efiect of two overla ping illuminated figures. With a view 0 still further increasing the interest taken by the spectators, I propose to show a batted ball as moving in various directions, and also while being thrown from one player to another. For attaining these objects any desired construction may be resorted to, but I preferably provide the 7 board 1 with very narrow slots 35 running in the various directions in which a ball might be batted in an actual game. For instance, I show a slot 35 running from the pitcher in the act 'of pitching a ball, to the catcher in the act of receiving it, and a similar slot 35 running from the catcher in the act of throwing the ball, to the pitcher in the act of catching it. I also show a slot 35 running from the home base to the figure 5 of the pitcher in the act of pickin up the ball, and a similar slot running rom the pitcher in the act of throwing the 'ball, to the first baseman.

It will be understood that any desired number of slots may be provided, running in a greater or less number of directions so as to represent as closely as possible the various directions in which a ball may be batted or thrown.

Secured to the outer face of the board 1 over the slots 35 are narrow strips 35 of transparent or semi-transparent material, as mica, through which light from an illuminant at the rear of the board may pass, and as such illuminant is moved'along'the slot it will indicate graphically a ball moving in the direction corresponding to the slot. The mica sheets 35 might be dispensed with if desired.

Arranged in rear of the board 1 and adjacent thereto is a suitable support, as for instance a board 40 corresponding in size to the board 1, and which like the latter, is preferably constructed of some light and in- 110 expensive material, .as wood, paper-board, etc. For thepurpose of facilitating the work of the operators of the device, who are to be stationed in rear of the board 40, I propose to provide the rear face of board 40 5 with the representation of a base-ball diamond, field, players, etc., all to-be a counterpart of the showing on the front of 'boardl, but in reversed position, as seen clearly in Fig. 2. 120

The board 40 is provided with narrow 1 slots 41 lying. directly in rear of the slots 35, and it is also provided with slots 42 which lie infrear of the figures of the players on the front board. a

For the purpose of illuminating the figures on the front-board and also to indicate the travel of a batted or thrown ball, whereby the spectators may be enabled to see the various plays as theyoccur, any suitable 30 groove in the box and same illuinin'atihg device may be employed, as for instance small incandescent electric lamps 45 which are adapted to be moved along the various slots 41 and 42. As a lamp is moved along a slot 42 the light will sion and the lamp is moved along a slot.

when a lamp is moved along a slot 41 it will indicate a ball a traveling across the field.

I *pre'ferablyarrange each-'o'fthe lamps withi 2 the outer face of the ground glass plates a closed box 46 which is adapted to be moved along within the space intermediate .the two boards 1 and 40. I provide each box front of the lamp therein with, preferplate 47 inserted in a held firmly in said P or by providing a ably, a ground glass grooveby fitting tightl suitable locking catch i desired. The boxes for indicating the By using a'closed box for each lamp, I avoid difl'usion of the light and cause same to be concentrated upon the ground glass front, *whereb'y obtain a better illuminating efi'ect.

Inasmuch -'as I desire to represent a ball in its travel by a very small point of light, I

preferably render "the'ground glass plate in each box intended for use in indicating a moving ball opaque with the exception of just a very small portion in the center of said plate, the light from the lamp there fore passing through the portion left for that purpose.

I preferably represent the players of the two teams by contrasting colors inorder to make the game still more interesting and forthis purpose the ground glass front of a box would indicate by its white light a player of one team, whlle'by using a'colored glass plate inserted in front of the ground glass plate a pair of the other team would be indicated. The colored glass plate, as 50, might be inserted in a groove51 1n the box in front of the ground glass plate 47, and removably held by a suitable locking catch 52, or the plate 50 might be inserted in "frontof the plate 47 in the same groove that contains the latter. The insertion and removal of the colored plates would, of course, be effected after each half inning has been played.

E ach of the boxes containing the illuminant is provided with a suitable handle 55 pivotally connected with the box by which an operator may readily move the boxes along the slots.

For the purpose of maintaining the boxes in their proper positions behind various players which it may be desired to illumine, any suitable means may be employed, as for instance notche 58 joining the grooves at the proper points and into which notches the handles of the boxes may be inserted and illumine the figures of the players in succescute 34 ball in motion t0 iuumine reduce a motion-picture ellect,; and this e ect is "heightened the more rapidly 1 Similarly l of the-boxes. I prefer, however,

balls are preferably made] considerably smaller than the other boxes. i

will thus be held from moving accidentally away from their proper positions. The notches may be of different shapes as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Instead of using an electric lamp to indlit e figures of the players I could use some very light-colored material, as white, which would act as an illuminant and give the same efiect as the electric lamp, and such material would be arranged on a suitable. support carried by the handle, or secured on to the electric lamps for the described'pur-poses.

I provide the rear board 40 at suitable points with openings 60 largeenough to off the light boxes, as desired, and after a box has been inserted within one of the openings it may be moved along the slot with which the opening communicates. As soon as a box has been inserted within an opening the latter is adapted to be closed by a suitable curtain 61, which would fall over said opening to prevent any light show-- ing through the opening and thus acciden tally illuminating any of the figures on-the neat board.

In actice the boards mayJbearranged-in a ver ical position or a more'or less inclined osition, as desired, an inclined position ing-preferred to enable the operators to more readily reach the handles of the boxes and enabli handles of less length to be used.

in" icate narrow strips of very thin and flexible opaque material, as leather or fabric, arranged over the slots 41 and '42, one edge of each of the strips being secured to the face ofthe board 40, and the opposite free edges of-the stripsmeeting each other over the ,slot. As a lamp is inoved along a slot the s'tri'ps '65 will separate to permit such movement and close together immediately behind the box thus preventing any light from the rear of the board 40- from gaining access to the space between the two boards and showing through any of the figures on the front board.

Supposing a game to be about to start.

The various players in the field and the um-v pires and coachers will be illuminated by placing the proper light boxes in rear thereof. As the ball is pitched a light box is moved along the slot extending from the figure of the pitcher in the act of pitching the ball, to the figure-of the catcher in the act of catching the ball. If the ball is caught by the catcher the light box is switched to a position behind the figure of the catcher in the act of throwing the ball back to'the pitcher (or any. other player) and at the same time the light box indicating the ball is switched from the catcher the act of catching it to the figure of thesame player rmit the readyinsertion-and withdrawal in the act of throwing it. If the ball is returned to the itcher the light box indicating the ball will-be returned along the slot leading to the pitcher in the act of receivin it. If, however, the itched ball is bunte for instance, the light box indicating the ball is run along the groove extending from the home base to the pitcher in the act of pickin u the bunted ball, and at the same time t e light box Which was behind the pitcher in the act of pitching the ball is shifted so as to show the pitcher running after the ball and then to a position in rear of the pitcher picking up the ball. Then the box is shifted to the pitcher throwing the ball tothe first baseman and at the same time the box indicating the ball is shifted from the pitcher picking up the ball to the pitcher throwing the same and is then further shifted from the last-mentioned figure to the first baseman. In the meantime the batter is represented as running to first base by shifting a light box along the proper slot from home base to first base, thus successively illuminating the figures representing the batter as runnin to first base. In case the ball is batted to t e outfield for'instance, then the play by the fielder would be indicated by the shifting of the proper light boxes in a manner similar to that just above described. If the batted ball gives the batter more than one base, then he will be indicated as running to second base, etc. by moving a light box in the proper slot to show the batter as running to the proper base. If a batter is declared out the light box will be shifted along the proper slot showing him returning to the bench, and at the same time the light box behind the first baseman catching the ball will be shifted to the first baseman throwing the ball back to the pitcher.

Also, the box indicating the ball will be properly shifted to the first baseman throwing the ball and shifted along the proper groove back to the pitcher.

Numerous plays such as occur in a regularly played game might be readily indicated by proper shifting of the light boxes in the manner hereinabgve descrlbed, and it is unnecessary to describe herein every such play for a clear understanding of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A base-ball score-board comprising a board provided with representations of a human figure arranged in succession and adapted'to permit light to pass therethrough and having attitudes corresponding to those of a person while in the act of moving from one point to another, and an illuminant adapted to be passed in rear of said representations in succession.

2. A base-ball score-board comprising a board provided with representations of a player in different standing and running p0- sitions, said representations being arranged in proximity to each other and adapted to permit light to pass therethrough, and an illuminant adapted to be moved in rear of said representations for the purpose of indicating the various attitudes of the player.

3. A base-ball score-board comprising a board provided with representations of different players and a slotextending from the representation of one player to the representation of another player, means for illuminating said representations, and means adapted to be moved in line with said slot to indicate a ball as being thrown by one player to the other.

4. A base-ball score-board comprising a board provided with representations of a player in different playing positions, a second board arranged in rear of the first and provided with a slot lying in rear of the said representations, and an illuminant adapted to be transferred from a point in the slot behind one'representation to another point in said slot behind the other representation for the purpose set forth.

5. A base-ball score-board comprising a board provided with representations of players, a second board arranged in rear of the first and provided with slots lying in rear of the representations on the first board, strips of flexible opaque material secured to the said second board over the said slots as described, and an illuminant adapted to be moved along the slots between the meeting edges of the said strips of material as set forth.

6. A base-ball score-board comprising a board provided with slots extending in various directions, a second board arranged in rear of the first and provided wit-h slots .lying in rear of the slots in the first board,

strips of flexible opaque material secured to the second board over the slots therein, and an illuminant adapted 'to be moved along the latter slots between the meeting edges of the said strips of material as set forth.

7. A base-ball score-board comprising a board provided with representations of players, a second board arranged in rear of the first and provided with slots lying in rear of said representations and having openings communicating with said slots, an illuminant adapted to be passed through said openings and to be moved along the slots, and a curtain secured to the second board over each of the said openings forthe purpose set forth.

8. A base-ball score-board comprising a board upon-which various plays of a game are to be reproduced, a second board arranged in rear of the first and provided with slots, an illuminant, a box within which said illuminant is arranged, said box being arranged in the space between the two boards, strips of flexible opaque material secured to the second board over the saidslots, and a handle on.thebox adaptedto extend through the slots between the meeting edges of the said strips.

9. A baseball score-board comprising a board provided with a series of representations of a player of one team, said representations being arranged in succession to indi cate said player as moving from one point to another, and said board being also provided with representations of two layers of the opposing team, means for i1 uminatingin succession the representations of the player of the first-mentioned team, and means for indicating a ball as being thrown by one of the said two players of the opposing team to the other.

10. A base-ball score-board comprising ,a board provided with a series of representations of a player of one team, said representations being arranged in succession to indicate saidplayer as moving from one point to another, and said board being also provided with representations of two players of the opposing team, means for illuminating in succession the representations of the player of the first-mentioned team, and means'for indicating a ball as being batted to some point on the field and then being thrown by one of the said two players of the opposing team to the other.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE S. COLEMAN. Witnesses:

H. P. HOWARD, J r., i W. E. BOULTER. 

